Lord Tarly has created this rumour in the hopes of turning the smallfolk against Lord Beric. Ser Hyle knows a septon with great knowledge of the Riverlands, and proposes that they accompany the man to Saltpans.
When Brienne says she has no intention of traveling with Hunt, he tells her that he is no longer in Lord Tarly's service. They soon depart for Saltpans, while Septon Meribald talks of the gods, his past and the great bands of wolves in the Riverlands led by a demon of a she-wolf. Meribald tells them that they may encounter broken men traumatized by their experiences in war on their way to Quiet Isle, and Brienne surmises that the septon himself once had such an experience before he discovered his piety.
Feverish and dying, the maester begs Sam to return to the docks to learn more about this rumor of dragons that Dareon had heard at some winesink. Aemon mumbles to Sam, "Dragons. The grief and glory of my house My brothers dreamed of dragons too, and the dreams killed them, every one.
Sam, we tremble on the cusp of half-remembered prophecies I should have seen it. Fire consumes, but cold preserves. The Wall Sam departs that night to find Dareon, but gets accosted by two bravos because he is wearing a sword. However, he is saved by a girl calling herself Cat of the Canals though also "no one" , who tells him of another black brother about to wed the Sailor's Wife.
Sam finds Dareon at the Happy Port, but his brother from the Watch wants nothing more to do with the black — or Gilly and Aemon, for that matter.
He is saved from drowning by Xhondo, a huge Summer Islander, who is a mate aboard the Cinnamon Wind — and knows of these dragons that Sam had mentioned. Aware that Cersei is trying to rid herself of him, Jaime argues that his place is beside the king, not off laying siege to Riverrun.
His sister responds that she can't rely on her cousin Ser Daven Lannister, her new Warden of the West, and needs Jaime to defeat Brynden Tully, as well as find out why Gregor's men at Harrenhal have not released Wylis Manderly as the crown requested. In truth, Jaime is glad to be leaving King's Landing behind, as he is growing to despise Cersei and the Yes Men she's surrounding herself with. As he travels, Jaime begins training with Ilyn Payne, in the hopes that he can become a proficient swordsman with his left hand.
The company also visits Sow's Horn and meets with Ser Roger Hogg, who warns that the wolves in the region, supposedly led by a gigantic she-wolf, have lost all fear of men and are attacking anyone who enters their territory.
Arriving at Harrenhal, Jaime has Gregor Clegane's men release all prisoners, including Wylis Manderly, and then leaves Ser Bonifer Hasty and his personal retinue, the Holy Hundred, to hold the castle until Petyr Baelish takes up its lordship.
Outside, Jaime comes across Ronnet Connington, who mentions how he once was betrothed to Brienne. When Ronnet mocks Brienne the Beauty, Jaime hits him in the face with his golden hand and insists he call her by name.
Cersei and Taena share the queen's litter en route to the Great Sept of Baelor. The lady from Myr is telling Cersei about all the men who are always around Margaery, and how she was present for the bedding at Renly's wedding. Although Taena is not sure if Margaery is still a maiden, she affirms that Renly was aroused. She also lets on that besides all the knights and bards, Pycelle is a frequent visitor of the young queen, and her brother Loras visits perhaps more than any other.
They also discuss the new High Septon, a man who was once a "sparrow" and not a member of the Most Devout — another Wild Card Cersei decides she must find a way to deal with. The top of Visenya's Hill is packed with sparrows, and the statue of Baelor the Blessed is piled with skulls and bones — the remains of septons and septas who were killed by the war, because they received no protection from the crown.
Cersei tries to pin the massacres on the "godless" Stannis and Robb Stark, but the crowd are unconvinced and demand justice and protection. At the doors to the Great Sept, armed men block the Kingsguards' entry since they bear weapons.
Cersei must enter alone, and as she does, she wonders about these anointed knights answering the call to defend the Faith. Inside the Sept, she is appalled to find Septon Raynard one of her sycophants amongst the Faith in roughspun robes scrubbing the floors, and learns that Septon Torbert another Yes-Man of hers has been imprisoned for being obese when so many are starving.
She berates the new High Septon, who wears frayed robes and goes barefoot. He tells her that the Faith has sold the crown her father gave his predecessor, as well as all the valuables in their vaults, in order to help feed the poor.
Cersei recalls Qyburn's report that the "sparrows" broke down the doors of the Sept before the final vote with axes in their hands and their leader on their shoulders. She now understands how this man was elected High Septon.
Speaking in private, the priest reprimands her for letting Joffrey behead Ned Stark on the steps of the Great Sept, and reveals that he hasn't come to the Red Keep to bless King Tommen because he is still praying for guidance from the Seven to affirm that the boy is the rightful king. The Queen Regent, stifling her anger, concedes to his concerns that the holy men and women on the roads need protection from rape and murder: Cersei agrees to have Tommen rearm the Faith, something King Maegor forbade almost years ago.
She promises to restore the Faith Militant , for which the High Septon will acknowledge Tommen as king and forgive the Crown's debt to the Faith, which is over 1 million dragons. Cersei and Taena celebrate the bargain. The ironborn emerge victorious, but Victarion seethes that, despite the fact he led the battle, the lion's share of the glory will go to Euron and his cronies, who did not participate. Besides, the attack may bring down the wrath of Highgarden, which Victarion feels, and some of the more cautious of the ironborn, like Rodrik the Reader and Dunstan Drumm, agree will be difficult to withstand.
Victarion also remembers the last time he saw his brother Aeron; after the kingsmoot, Aeron tried to urge Victarion to help him overthrow Euron, but Victarion refused. The priest departed the next day, vowing to incite the smallfolk to rebellion. At Lord Hewett's town on Oakenshield, Euron throws a feast to celebrate the victory. He then declares that they will sail the next day to find the dragons he had promised.
But many of the captains object, stating that they should attack Oldtown or the Arbor, and a furious Euron stalks from the hall, apparently not ready to put up with being laughed at. Victarion is then summoned to Euron's room, where the king admits that the whole fleet could never reach Slaver's Bay together. He believes that the Iron Fleet alone could, however, and promises his brother the Seastone Chair as reward for a single service.
Euron has his eyes on the Iron Throne, but in his mind, there is only one woman fit to be his queen and the mother of his heir: Daenerys Targaryen, the World's Most Beautiful Woman. Victarion agrees to go, but privately thinks to himself that he will take Daenerys as his own wife, in revenge for Euron stealing his. However, neither Lancel nor Ser Kevan are there to greet Jaime; the latter left shortly after the wedding, and the former has taken to living in the sept.
As Jaime, assigned Lancel's quarters since they are the nicest unoccupied rooms in the castle, cleans up from his travels, he notes that his squire Josmyn Peckledon Peck for short has formed an interest in Pia.
Jaime gives over the use of Lancel's bed for Their First Time , and warns the young man to treat her kindly. At dinner, Lady Amerei called " Gatehouse Ami " begs Jaime to help sort out the many brigands in the area — Beric Dondarrion, the Hound, and whoever their leader is, a woman in a hooded cloak.
Jaime suggests that the Darry nobility take the revolutionary step of actually being nice to their peasants , which will turn them away from the lightning lord. Afterwards, he heads to the sept, where Lancel receives him. He announces that he has been atoning for his sins — primarily his hand in the Hunting "Accident" suffered by the late King Robert Baratheon, but also for fucking Cersei.
He claims that it was at least not treason, as he would always pull out: "It's not treason if you don't finish inside. Faced with the news that Cersei was unfaithful and that the Church Militant has been revived — despite an almost literal crusade to get them disbanded during the years of Maegor the Cruel — Jaime can't decide which is worse. They discuss the raid on Saltpans — civilians massacred, girls raped, and Ser Quincy Cox shutting the castle's gates and doing nothing.
Septon Meribald is inclined to reserve judgment, pointing out that Cox was wildly outnumbered and old to boot , but the Elder Brother thinks a Knight in Shining Armor should do what's right no matter what , and Brienne agrees.
They pass an extremely tall brother in a hooded cloak who is digging graves, despite his limp, and the stables house a trained war horse. Thus, Brienne is only a bit surprised to learn that the Elder Brother has indeed treated The Hound recently; however, he tells Brienne that she cannot find him, for he is at rest.
This is the origin of that theory. Most readers believe the giant, limping gravedigger is Sandor himself, Hiding in Plain Sight. The ill-tempered horse in the stables is his mount, Stranger. The Elder Brother heard Clegane's words before burying him, and leaving the hounds-head helm to mark the grave which someone has probably stolen — hence the report of the leader wearing that helm at the raid on Saltpans , and therefore explains to Brienne that she is looking for the wrong Stark girl: Arya is alive , somewhere.
The Elder Brother tells his story — he too was a knight, serving Rhaegar Targaryen during the War of the Usurper, who " died " at the Trident and washed up here at the Quiet Isle, where he has remained ever since. He begs Brienne to return to the people who love her before she too meets a bitter fate, but Brienne, All-Loving Hero that she is, insists on keeping her word. Ser Loras intercedes that Garlan and Willas have the men to do it, but not the fleet. Cersei replies apologetically that Lord Paxter Redwyne's fleet is busy starving out whichever of Stannis' forces remains on Dragonstone.
Loras impetuously offers to Storm the Castle , promising The Siege will end within a fortnight, thus freeing the Redwyne fleet to attend to the Shield Isles. Margaery protests , but Cersei gallantly accepts — reflecting to herself that Loras has just volunteered for a Suicide Mission , and that in her mind, it's a win-win situation : if Loras succeeds, it's a blow to Stannis, if he fails, she can make him The Scapegoat , and if he gets killed, Ser Osney will be on hand to console his grieving sister.
Afterwards, Qyburn mentions that he has been working on a "champion" to replace Loras on the Kingsguard if worst should come to worst; Cersei is skeptical of his "paragon," mentioning that, according to the blacksmiths she assigned work to on Qyburn's specifications, the armor he has requested is too heavy for any human to bear, and promises Qyburn a Cruel and Unusual Death if he's messing her around.
Cersei returns to bed, where Lady Taena Merryweather awaits her, and idly wonders what it would be like to have sex with Taena, to "claim her rights" as monarch as Robert used to do when he was drunk.
Strangely, the wine would always make him "forget" how roughly he tended to claim them, claiming it had never happened. However, she is interrupted a second time by Lady Falyse Stokeworth. Bronn, being a Private Military Contractor and Combat Pragmatist , failed to lose the resulting fight — and got Balman to admit who ordered him to engineer the "accident. Cersei offers it But the act gives her no pleasure, and eventually she orders Taena to leave, deciding, " It had never happened.
Every morning he has Lord Edmure Tully put up on a gallows with a noose around his neck and threatens to pull the trigger unless Ser Brynden surrenders. The fact that he does this daily may explain why the Blackfish has yet to take him seriously. Meanwhile, Lady Roslin Frey is pregnant — apparently, she and Edmure have become genuinely fond of each other. If the child is a boy, though, Emmon Frey may have trouble holding onto Riverrun, even though Cersei bestowed it upon him.
Ser Kevan has been by, though he left quickly, resentful that Cersei had named the rather younger Daven Warden of the West instead of him. Daven, who completely agrees, actually offered to surrender the office to him — instantly marking him as one of the few Lannisters in the series who has no trouble choosing whether To Be Lawful or Good. Daven comments on his Arranged Marriage , courtesy of Cersei, to a Frey; he's not happy, but he'll do it, since the alternative is to end up like Robb Stark.
Jaime sends a message that he wishes to treat with the Blackfish on the morrow, hoping to offer him such generous terms that he Jaime need not defy his oath to the late Lady Catelyn not to take up arms against her house. He remembers when he was a squire to Sumner Crakehall and was sent to Riverrun with a message.
Jaime now receives a visit from his only aunt, Genna Frey, who completely overpowers her husband Emmon. Jaime lies to them that their son Ser Cleos died bravely. Emmon has some choice words about his fief being damaged, but Jaime cuts him down to size by reminding him that he is only Lord of Riverrun if they take the castle, and not Lord Paramount of the Trident at all: Lord Hoster Tully was, and Lord Edmure Tully after him for a brief moment , but now Lord Petyr Baelish rules the riverlands from Harrenhal.
After they get rid of Emmon, Genna has a number of choice words about Cersei's growing foolishness : her choice of councilors , her re-founding of the Faith Militant after they gave the Targaryens years of strife From the Books Aegon the Conqueror himself trod carefully with the Faith so they wouldn't oppose his conquest. Aegon's son Aenys managed to enrage the Faith by wedding his eldest son and daughter in Valyrian tradition, completely ignoring that the Faith considered such practices an abomination, after which the Faith started a revolt against the Targaryens, one in which a good portion of Westeros' population backed them.
After Aenys died from the aftereffects of a nervous breakdown as a result of the strain, his brother Maegor seized power, outlawed the Faith Militant and tried to exterminate the Faith utterly, but his brutality only gave the Faith more supporters.
It wasn't until Aegon's grandson Jaehaerys came to the throne and was able to negotiate a peace treaty with the Faith that the violence came to an end, though Jaehaerys refused to repeal his uncle's disbanding of the Faith Militant.
Jaime asks if she loved Lord Tywn, and Genna tells him about how Tywin was the only one who stood up for her when their father arranged to marry her down to Emmon Frey. Jaime points out that he left a son, meaning himself, but Genna sighs and replies, " Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you. One night, as she is returning to the temple, Cat of the Canals meets Dareon. Since deserting the Night's Watch , the singer has made a name for himself, and shows off the new boots he has earned.
Cat drops by Brusco's on her way back, handing him a pair of new boots. Back at the temple, a girl speaks to the waif, who tells her two truths and a lie; but a girl is interrupted by the kindly man before she can guess which was which.
Of the three things a girl has learned, the most important is that someone killed Dareon and dumped his body in a canal. They saved his boots, though. When the kindly man asks who might have done this, a girl proclaims, "Arya of House Stark. Afterwards , Sam avoids her, feeling guilty and miserable over breaking his vows. Kojja Mo, the captain's daughter and leader of their archers and Baby Aemon's babysitter , corners him and tells him he must either face his demons or be thrown overboard.
Sex for Solace is considered holy in the Summer Isles, a way of honoring death by celebrating life. Sam protests that he took a Vow of Celibacy and cannot do the honorable thing by taking Gilly to wife , but Kojja points out that Gilly may want no such thing — just someone to cling to while she is a Fish out of Water , separated from father and family and even her own child. Sam, who isn't much better off, accepts Kojja's advice and Gilly's advances. Later, in court, Septon Raynard comes with news that the High Septon has chosen to preach against The Oldest Profession as opposed to attending Cersei in court; she's also pissed off when another would-be bounty hunter wastes her time with a head that is clearly not Tyrion's, and hands the guy over to Qyburn.
When Cersei loses her temper over dinner and snaps that she would like to have Margaery out of her way, Tommen lashes back at her , forbidding her from doing anything to his wife. Since he's only eight, Cersei can still shut him down by ordering an unusual punishment, but the moment is nonetheless troubling.
That evening, Cersei has a dream Flashback to when she visited Maggy the Frog. She, Jeyne Farman and, Melara Heatherspoon came to visit the woods witch, who was said to have the gift of prophecy. Jeyne fled at the sight of the wizened old crone, but Cersei and Melara badgered her until she drank their blood, and then allowed them to ask three questions.
Melara asked if she would marry Jaime, but Maggy told her, "Worms will have your maidenhead. Your death is here tonight, little one. Can you smell her breath?
She is very close. Cersei then asks her questions about Rhaegar Targaryen:. After Maggy turns into Tyrion and starts choking her, Cersei awakens and sends for Maester Pycelle to fix something to allow her dreamless sleep. She asks about his care of Lord Gyles Rosby, whose Incurable Cough of Death is starting to become literal, and tells him that he does not have permission to allow Rosby to die. She then asks if the maesters believe people can tell the future, and Pycelle evades by asking whether anyone should.
His opinion is, " Some doors are best left closed. Cersei asks Qyburn the same question about prophecy. Qyburn's answer is very different: upon learning that Maggy the Frog was imported from the east, he wonders if her given name wasn't a corruption of " maegi ," and that Blood Magic can be very powerful. When asked if the future is set in stone , he replies that of course Cersei can Screw Destiny Osney will, after all, need to fight his way out if he agrees to let Cersei frame him for treason.
Reaching the inn, they meet four girls on the porch, and the oldest addresses them. She asks for silver for a night's lodging, stating the only visitors they get are either sparrows or robbers and worse.
When Ser Hyle makes an inquiry regarding her tone, the smith approaches to keep the peace, and Brienne is nearly floored by his resemblance to Renly. At dinner, Septon Meribald leads a prayer, but the smith — a fellow named Gendry — does not participate and returns to his forge; one of the orphan boys tells the septon that it is because he worships the Lord of Light.
Brienne delivers some food to Gendry and mentions his resemblance to King Robert, but they are interrupted by riders drawing near. Brienne recognizes one of them as Biter.
The leader, wearing the helm of Sandor Clegane, threatens the lives of everyone present, so Brienne draws Oathkeeper to intercede. This causes "the Hound" — it turns out to be Rorge under the helm — to charge. She handles him easily, but Biter blindsides her, smashing her arm and taking a bite out of her face.
Her last vision is Biter's tongue sticking out — straight and obscenely long, almost like it were a sword So Jaime does the only thing he can: he cuts down Edmure Tully over the protests of the Freys — Ser Ryman is sent home in a snit , draws him a bath and has him fed.
Edmure is told that he will be returned to Riverrun forthwith, and — if he is smart — will choose to surrender the castle. He and his wife will then be well-treated prisoners at Casterly Rock; their child, if a daughter, will be appropriately dowered, or knighted and given lands if a son.
When Edmure asks what the alternative is, Jaime replies that The Siege will continue The river lords — Edmure's former vassals and lifelong friends — will be sent in first, followed by the Freys , and finally Ser Daven's westermen once the castle is weakened. All within the castle will be put to the sword. If Roslin gives birth before the fight is over, Jaime will even allow the child to return to Riverrun. Via trebuchet.
He then leaves Edmure to his meal and his thoughts Back in the day, Edmure had selected a girl to take to bed for his first time , but too much wine led to certain deficiencies. Tom not only swept in and bedded the girl himself, he then wrote a song about a " floppy fish ".
The one about the rain. To this end, she invites Margaery's favorite singer, the Blue Bard, to dinner, and accuses him of fornication. It takes a whole night of Qyburn's Cold-Blooded Torture before the man will sing the story straight. That night, Cersei has another Catapult Nightmare , and when Lady Taena inquires about Her Grace's mental health, Cersei ends up spilling the whole prophecy — particularly the part about "the valonqar ," which is a High Valyrian word meaning "younger brother" — resulting in her Freudian Excuse hatred of Tyrion.
But wait! Prophecy Twist time! Tyrion is six years younger than Cersei And Jaime two minutes younger. Both of them qualify to be "the valonqar ". There's more! Neither of them is known as the younger brother. Characters who are more known for being younger brothers include Sandor Clegane, Stannis Baratheon, and — well, isn't this interesting — Tommen Baratheon. This does cause some timing conflict with "gold shall be their shrouds," but it should be noted that we have known — from literally the first chapter of this series — that wights like strangling things.
And besides! Remember what Maester Aemon said about how High Valyrian pronouns are gender-neutral? The valonqar could be a younger sister Most obviously we have a girl, Arya Stark, who recently started attending a training temple for assassins. There's Margaery Tyrell, who has three older brothers; there's Myrcella Baratheon, who has one. And finally, does anyone remember if Viserys Targaryen, the Beggar King, had a younger sister? Some girl who may have hatched some goddamn dragons or something?
The latter three also have the added bonus of qualifying as the "younger and more beautiful" queen who is coming for Cersei's crown. If the TV show's arc for Sansa is ported into the novels, she does as well. Finally, after breakfast, she moves the last piece into place: she orders Osney to go before the High Septon and "admit" he has fucked not only Margaery, but her attendants Elinor and Megga as well. Taena suggests they leave Alla out of it, since they may be able to use her as a witness.
The youngest Kettleblack agrees to do so, but says his Blatant Lies will ring better if he does get to fuck a queen. Cersei, say He is, obviously, upset. First off, the last thing he wants is a war with the other six kingdoms, and Arianne should feel the same way; it pleased King Daeron I Targaryen, the Young Dragon who conquered Dorne, to claim that the peninsula was bristling with defenders, — and it pleases the Martells to maintain that fiction, lest anyone realize that they have the smallest population of any principality in Westeros.
Even worse, war may come: Ser Balon Swann has reached the borders of Dorne — having finally reached the end of the journey the crown dispatched him on in "Cersei IV" of this volume — and Prince Doran's bannermen can only stall him for so long.
He tells Arianne he is disappointed in her, and warns her not to test his patience: what everyone else mistook for lassitude has actually been a Long Game , and Prince Doran — like Oberyn — has been working on revenge against the Lannisters ever since Elia was killed. Arianne announces that she wants to rule Dorne when Doran eventually passes, and Doran asks why she believes herself disinherited.
Pate thinks to himself of his infatuation with Rosey , a 15 year old serving wench at the Quill and Tankard , who's maidenhead has been offered for one gold dragon. He clashes with Leo Tyrell over her, and even contemplates killing him, but decides against it, as his father is the Commander of the City Watch of Oldtown, and his cousin is Mace Tyrell.
He is lured away shortly afterwards by the Alchemist, who gives him the gold dragon he desires. Pate bites the gold coin then collapses and dies. He is told that he will never understand what is happening. His last thought is of Rosey. Recent blog posts Forum. A scar showed faintly on his right cheek.
He had a hooked nose, and a mat of dense black hair that curled tightly around his ears. Write a comment More questions about A Feast for Crows…. A Feast for Crows. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read.
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